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Lampard full of praise for Chelsea whizkids: I told Abraham it'd be his day

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard was full of praise for his whizkids after victory at Norwich City.

Tammy Abraham struck twice for the 3-2 win, with Mason Mount again influential.

Lampard remarked: "I spoke to Tammy before the game today and I said to him that I felt today was the day.

"A bit of kidology really because who knows before the game, but I do trust in him and as a young striker you need that support, and I did feel something for him today and it will do wonders for his confidence.

"He has had a tough little period for the reasons we all know and strikers get judged purely on goals at times which is sometimes slightly unfair, but when you ask about character and enthusiasm to play for this club then he is right up there. You see it every day and he can get better and better so I am really pleased for him.

"Mason is a continuation of what he is doing. I had to move him out to the left just before the game because of the Pedro injury (the Spaniard suffered a hamstring problem in the warm-up at Carrow Road) but he took it on board, he is intelligent and he can do different roles. I am delighted for the two of them.

"You can see the reaction of the fans. These are two young men who are desperate to play for this club. They have to earn it and I am delighted for them both.

"I supported Tammy over the online abuse. I did it out loud and I did it behind the scenes. I supported him on that as much as I can and in terms of playing, hopefully he will see my belief in him from the fact he is playing and hopefully from the fact I want to do extra shooting with him daily, every type of finishing and the first one today was top drawer. That comes from work on the training ground.

"I have seen him sky a few of those in training but you keep going and all of a sudden you catch one and you score. That is why him and Mason and others, like Fikayo Tomori who I don't want to forget because I feel for him at the moment because he is playing at a level where he could be playing in this team regularly. That is why they are good for us because they bring that enthusiasm to training."

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Paul Vegas

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